Summoning of Indian and Pakistani diplomats
On December 31, 2023, the temporary chargés d'affaires of India and Pakistan were summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. This decision resulted from the statements made by these countries in support of Russia, particularly the statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding the alleged attack by Ukraine on the state residence of Vladimir Putin that occurred on December 29.
Statements of Ukrainian leaders
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia may use this situation to plan attacks on government buildings in Kyiv.
“Now, with their statement that some residence was attacked, they are simply preparing the ground for potential strikes, probably against the capital and government buildings,” — Volodymyr Zelensky.
This viewpoint is also supported by the head of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, who emphasized that 'there was no attack by Ukraine on the residence of the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.'
Moreover, U.S. President Donald Trump reported that Vladimir Putin informed him about an attack by a Ukrainian drone. However, the U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Vitaker questioned this statement from Russia. The Institute for the Study of War believes that the Kremlin intends to use the fake story of the shelling of Putin's residence to justify its refusal of peace proposals.
Thus, the summoning of the diplomats of India and Pakistan is Ukraine's reaction to Russia's attempts to destabilize the situation in the region and use information manipulation to justify its aggressive actions.
This situation underscores the importance of international support for Ukraine in the face of increasing aggression from Russia. The summoning of the diplomats indicates Ukraine's readiness to respond to external threats and defend its position on the international stage. Russia's actions, which may be perceived as provocations, threaten not only Ukraine's security but also stability in the entire region, calling for decisive action from the international community.